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properties will be developed through conventional breeding and genetic engineering for
use as “functional foods” [52] (e.g., phytosterols to achieve cholesterol lowering); as
oils with altered lipid profiles [53] (e.g., for lower saturated fat) or with more vitamin
E; as new drugs/nutraceuticals and industrial chemicals (e.g., fatty acids for lubricants,
and for cosmetics, coatings, detergents, surfactants, flavors, and polymers); as sources
for specialty chemicals; and as value-added products [54–59]. There will be demands
for solvent systems for the simultaneous removal of undesirable meal components (e.g.,
mycotoxins, gossypol, flavors, and odors) that offer the potential for upgrading meal
for use as higher value animal feeds and human foods. Solvents that offer energy savings
and that pose lower health, environmental, and fire hazards will also be sought.

Oil refining process innovation will continue to be focused in the area of more

efficient operation, lower energy demand, least or no waste generated, and minimum
undesirable chemical modifications of the oils. Interesterification and fractionation
may become more important choices of operation than hydrogenation to minimize the
formation of geometric (trans- v. cis-double bonds) and positional (repositioned double
bonds) isomers of unsaturated fatty acids in the final fats and shortenings.

Genetically engineered/biotech crops make up a growing share of the agricultural

output [60,61]. In the United States in 2003, about 78% of the cotton acreage (21%
globally; about 33% world production) [62], about 85% of the soy acreage (55%
globally), about 40% of the corn acreage (11% globally), and about 16% of the
canola acreage globally were biotech crops [61]. Biotechnology is a powerful tool
in the hands of agricultural scientists. The ability to breed desirable traits or eliminate
problematic ones can yield potentially spectacular benefits, such as various chemicals
of importance, including improved fats and oils (e.g., high oleic acid oils), vaccines
and medicine, improved nutrition (e.g., casaba, oilseeds, rice, and sweet potatoes),
and improved yields with the use of fewer agricultural chemicals. Biotech crops
could be increasingly developed as “biofactories” for a wide range of products,
including nutrients, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. There is much promise for being
able to produce products that would protect millions from disease, starvation, and
death.

However, biotechnology and biotech crops have become very controversial and

have run into serious problems in the European Union (EU), particularly in the
United Kingdom [63]. Currently, traceability and labeling for biotech products for
whole food products and animal feeds are required in some places in the world (e.g.,
the EU, Japan, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand). Highly refined foods (e.g.,
vegetable oil, food thickeners, and starches) are explicitly excluded, except in the
EU. In the EU, as of April 18, 2004, all foods, feeds, and additives are covered
[64,65]. Vegetable oilseed meal, vegetable oil, and other food products made from
cottonseed and other vegetable oils are covered or will be covered by the EU
traceability and labeling regulations. For example, genetically modified (GM) feed
is covered at present, and food additives produced from genetically modified organ-
isms (GMOs) (e.g., refined cottonseed oil), feed additives produced from a GMO,
and feed produced from a GMO are not covered at present but will be in the future.
Even if DNA or protein from the transgenic plant cannot be detected in the refined
vegetable oil, documentation is required to show that the product did not come from
a biotech plant to be able to label a product “GM free.” “Adventitious or unavoidable”

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